Cross feed mechanism for lathes



Sept. 27, 1938. A. G. WHITEHEAD CROSS' FEED MECHANISM FOR 'LATHES Filed June 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 II VVEN TOR.

flaw/#5517950 A TTORN Sept. 27, 1938.

A. G. WHITEHEAD CROSS FEED MECHANISM FOR LATHES Filed June 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

1 5 White/255d BY I W 'IATTOEY Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES GROSS FEED MECHANISM FOR LATHES Alexander G. Whitehead, East Hartford, Conn,

assignor t0 Niles-Bement-Pond Company,

Hartford, Conn, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 8, 1937, Serial No. 147,078

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improved operating means for the tool supporting cross slide on the carriage of an engine lathe or other type of machine tool. 7

An object of the present invention is to provide improved means for adjusting the position of the cross slide so that the cross slide may be adjusted manually to diiferent predetermined limited positions and so that adjustment of the cross slide 1 may be limited in one direction to a specific limited position; also by rotation of a frictionally held supplementary member carrying an abutment the cross slide may be, by the application of additional pressure, moved to other advanced positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved and convenient form of setting device to adjust the position to which the cross slide may be repeatedly moved in one direction.

And finally it is an object to provide a micrometer adjustment to permit movement of the cross slide to successive limited positions closely adjacent each other.

With the above and' other objects in view the invention includes the featuresof construction and operation set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings annexed hereto and forming'a part of this specification, I have shown the invention embodied in a standard form of tool room lathe'but it will be understood that the invention can'be otherwise embodied and that the drawings are not to be construed asdefining'or limiting the scope of the invention,

the claims appended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary transverse view of aportion of an engine lathe showing one form of" the improved cross slide and adjusting means therefor, parts being shown in section to more feed adjusting mechanism shown in- Fig; 2, and" Fig. 4 isa vertical sectional view taken upon' the plane of line i-4 of Fig. 2.

In the above mentioned drawings there has been shown but one embodiment of theinvention which is now deemed preferable, but it-is to be understood that. changes and modifications ,may be made within thescope of the appended invention.

Briefly, and in its preferred aspect, the invention may include the following principal parts: First, a cross slide movable on the carriage of a lathe or other machine tool; second, a screw rotatably claimswithout departing from the spirit of the mounted' in the carriage. and engaging a nut on thecrossslide; third, rotating means supported on the carriagefor said screw; fourth, a bracket on the machine tool rotatably supporting the screw and-controlling its endwise movement during movement of the carriage; fifth,a pinion on the rotating means for the screw; sixth, a gear rotated by saidpinion; seventh, an abutment to limit the rotative movement .of the gearfand eighth, adjustable frictional means to vary the adjustment of the abutment. p

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawings and referring first to Fig. 1, there is shown in outline a portion of'a lathe bed It on which a carriage II is mounted. For supporting the carriage H for longitudinal movement along the bed or base It guideways l2 may be provided of theusual or conventional form.

Adapted to slide upon suitable Ways formed in this carriage ll in a direction normal to the direction of movement of the carriage along the base It! is across slide l3. Preferably and as shown, there'is a supplementalor compound tool slide i4 angularly' adjustable and slidably mounted upon the cross slide l3. This latter slide l4, however, is'of usual or conventional construction' and forms no part of the. present invention. In the slide l4' may be mounted the usual-tool post I Shaving a cutting tool I 6 therein.

In order toadjust'the position of'the cross slide 53" relative to the carriage H there is provided a cross slide-screw I! mounted Within the carriage H and disposed in a direction normal to the guideways I2 uponwhich the carriage ii is slidable, At therear. end of this cross slide screw ilthere'isa suitablehead or sleeve l8, preferably housing an" anti-friction" bearing IS, the outer race of which is fixedly. retained'within the sleeve and-the inner race of which is secured directly to the rear end of'the cross slide screw l4.

As the cross slide I3 may be used for turning conical 'as well'as cylindrical surfaces upon work pieces; the head I8 within which the endof screw H is enclosedis slidably mounted within a suitable bracket Zll-secured in the rear surface of the carriage: I l and has a depending portion 2| adapted to enga'ge within-the slide 22 of a taper attachment angularlyadjustable in: the usual manner from brackets or other supports secured directly to the rear face of the lathe bed In. By adjusting the angular position of the taper slide 22 movements of the carriage ll along the bed 18 will force the sleeve I8 or head carrying the screw IT to move toward the left or right and carrying with it the cross slide l3, thus varying the lateral position of the slide l4 on which the tool [6 ismounted. I

When it is desired to use the mechanism for cylindrical work pieces the head or sleeve l8 carrying the screw I! may be clamped in position by a clamping screw 23 shown in section in Fig. 1. Also during operation upon cylindrical work the taper slide 22 may be removed or adjusted to a position parallel to the ways I2. In operating either upon taper or cylindrical work pieces the screw I! must be initially rotated topreliminarily adjust the position of the cross slide l3 and the tool 16. For this purpose the following mechanism has been provided and is shown most clearly in Fig. 2. The cross slide screw I'I hasits intermediate portion formed with screw threads and immediately rearward of that threaded portion engages within the sleeve l8 carrying the bearing l9 at its rear end. The forward portion of the screw 11 is reduced in diameter and longitudinally splined as shown at 24, there preferably being four or six axially disposed splines provided in this end of the screw.

Suitably supported in the forward portion of the carriage ll, preferably in a bracket 25 suitablysecured to the front face of the carriage, is a sleeve 26, the intermediate portion of which is provided with gear teeth 2'! forming a pinion.

r The sleeve 26 is provided with a splined hole slidably engaging the splines 24 on the forward end of the cross slide screw l1. Also mounted on this sleeve 26 is a hand wheel 29 preferably keyed directly to the sleeve and having a nut 28 threaded on the sleeve 26 engaging its front face. By rotating this hand wheel 29 and the sleeve 26 carried thereby the cross slide screw I! will be rotated and will advance a nut 36 on the lower surface of slide [3 and threaded upon its intermediate section in either direction. By means of a suitable screw 3| or other fastening means this lead nut 36 is directly attached to the slide I3 in fixed position. I

It is desirable in repetition work to provide means for rapidly withdrawing the tool I6 from engagement with a work piece and being able to again position the tool at precisely the same diameter. For this purpose there is provided a large gear 32 meshing with gear teeth 21 on the sleeve 26 above referred to. Whenever the hand wheel 29 and sleeve 26 are rotated to rotate the cross slide screw I! this second gear 32 is simultaneously rotated but at a much slower rate. This second gear 32 is rotatably mounted upon the hub of a member 33 mounted in the bracket I 25 presently to be more fully described.

' In the gear 32 is an angular recess 34 extending completely around one face of this gear. In one position there is inserted a stud 35 which forms an abutment directly across this recess and therefore limits the length of the recess to less outstanding therefrom'and entering the annular groove 34 in the, gear 32. It will be seen from the a above that by rotation of the hand wheel 29 and but limited movement can be effected in either direction of the cross slide I3 by means of the sleeve 26 and hand wheel 29.

In order to provide means to clamp the member 33 carrying the stud 36 in adjusted angular position, the member 33 and the gear 32 may be mounted upon a central stud 31 having a large head at one end and passing through the bracket or support 25 for the sleeve 26. Stud 31 has a threaded member or nut 38 on its rear threaded end. This threaded member 38 or nut may have a forwardly extending handle 39 formed thereon enabling it to be manually rotated to force the stud 31 rearwardly to clamp its head portion against the front face of the sleeve for member 33 and bind the member 33 against a surface of the bracket 25. The gear 32 is freely rotatable upon the sleeve of member 33 when this member is clamped in adjusted positions. To prevent rotation of the stud 31 when the threaded member or nut 38 is moved from clamping to unclamping position, a key 48 may be inserted engaging a key-way within the bracket 25. To retain a slight resistance against oscillation of this member 33 when the nut 38 has been moved to its releasing position several light springs 4| may be interposed between the fixed bracket 25 and a washer on stud 31 adjacent the nut 38 and the clamping head of member 33. The force with which stud 31 clamps member 33 in position may be widely varied by varying the pressure applied manually with which nut 39 is tightened on the threads of stud 31.

To facilitate adjustments of the cross slide l3 of predetermined small amounts, the hand wheel 29 is provided with a graduated sleeve or ring 42 surrounding a cylindrical surface thereof and directly adjacent a surface of a cover plate 43 secured to the bracket 25. On this surface is a zero or reference line 44. It will readily be seen, therefore, that by means of these graduations the angular movement imparted to the hand wheel 29 and the cross slide screw I! may be determined. To set this graduated dial 42 so that its zero may be in alinement with the fixed reference line 44 in any position of the cross slide I3, a screw 45 may be provided withinthe hand wheel 29 having a conical portion thereon. Rotation of the screw 45 in one or the other direction will raise or lower a short pin 46 bearing upon the conical surface of the screw at one end and fric-. tionally engaging against the inner cylindrical surface of the graduated sleeve 42 at its outer end.

In operation the hand wheel 29 is rotated with the nut 38 loosened to position the slide 1 3 to any position called for by the particular operation being performed. In this loosened position of the nut 38 the gear 32 and member 33 will freely rotate together. When the tool l6 has been adjusted accurately to a predetermined position the nut 38 is tightened with the stud 35 interrupting the arcuate groove 34 in contact with a side of abutment'or stud 36. These studs are in contact when the cross slide I3 is moved in one direction by rotation of' the hand wheel 29 far enough to cause rotation of the stud 36. The hand wheel 29 and sleeve 26 may then be rotated in the opposite direction to withdraw the tool l6 from adjusted position until stud 35 takes up against the opposite side of stud 36. To again bring the tool into the same position it is only necessary to rotate the hand wheel 29 in the first direction until it is again stopped by abutting the studs 35 and 36 together.

To move the tool Hi to a new advanced position the nut 38 is not tightly clamped but moved to a position frictionally retaining the member 33 in position but permitting rotation by forcing the hand wheel 29 to rotate the sleeve 26, the gear 32, and member 33 against this added friction. The distance moved by this rotation of the member 33 to a new position may be indicated by the graduations of the dial 42.

On the bracket 25 secured to the carriage H there may be provided the usual latch lever 50 movable into and out of engagement with a rod 5|. This rod 5| may be attached in any manner (not shown) to the cross slide 13 sothat it will move axially with movements of the cross slide. By placing nuts 52 on the rod 5| adjustable axially to difierent positions and with the latch 50 in engaging position, movement of the cross slide may be stopped at predetermined limiting positions.

What I claim is:

l. A cross slide mechanism for lathes comprising in combination, a carriage, a slide movable thereon, a screw rotatably mounted in said carriage engaging a nut on said slide, a member having a hand wheel thereon mounted for rotation with said screw whereby said slide may be moved having a hand wheel thereon mounted for rota-.

tion with said screw whereby said slide may be moved by rotation of said member, a pinion on said member meshing with a gear rotatably mounted in said carriage, an arcuate slot formed in said gear, an abutment engaging said arcuate slot, means to adjust said abutment to engage against an end of said slot in different angular positions, frictional means to retain said abutment in adjusted position, and manual means to vary said frictional means.

3. A cross slide mechanism for lathes comprising in combination, a carriage, a slide movable thereon, a screw rotatably mounted in said carriage and engaging a member on said slide, a member having a hand wheel thereon mounted for rotation with said screw whereby said slide may be moved, a pinion on said member meshing with a gear rotatably mounted in said carriage, an arcuate slot formed in said gear, an abutment supported on said carriage and engaging against an end of said arcuate slot, frictional means to retain said abutment in position, and manual means to vary said frictional means.

4. A cross slide mechanism for lathes comprise ing in combination, a carriage, a slide movable thereon, a screw rotatably mounted in said carriage and engaging a nut on said slide, a sleeve having a hand wheel thereon splined to said screw for rotating said screw and moving said slide, a pinion on said sleeve, a large gear mounted in said carriage and meshing with said pinion, an arcuate slot formed in said gear, an abutment adapted to engage an end of said arcuate slot, frictional means to retain said abutment in position, and manual means to vary said frictional means. 7

5. A cross slide mechanism for lathes comprising in combination, a carriage, a slide movable thereon, a screw rotatably mounted in said carriage and engaging a nut on said slide, means to vary the axial position of said screw during movement of said carriage, a sleeve having a hand wheel thereon splined to said screw for rotating said screw and moving said slide, a pinion on said sleeve, a large gear mounted in said carriage and meshing with said pinion, an arcuate slot formed in said gear, an abutment engaging said arcuate slot, frictional means to retain said abutment in position, and manual means to vary said frictional means.

6. A cross slide mechanism for lathes comprising in combination, a carriage, a slide movable thereon, a screw rotatably mounted in said carriage and engaging a nut on said slide, a sleeve having a hand wheel thereon splined to said screw for rotating said screw and moving said slide, a pinion on said sleeve, a large gear mounted in said carriage and meshing with said pinion, an arcuate slot formed in said gear, an abutment supported on said carriage and engaging against an end of said arcuate slot, frictional means to retain said abutment in an adjusted position, and manual means to clamp and unclamp said frictional means.

ALEXANDER G. WHITEHEAD. 

